SUN CSA Annual General Meeting 2026: Collaborating for a Nutritious Lao PDR

On April 2, 2026, the SUN CSA network held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Vientiane Capital. The event brought together 54 participants, representing civil society organizations, government agencies, and development partners. The meeting served as a critical platform to review past achievements and align the network’s collective efforts with the upcoming national nutrition landscape.

A major highlight of the AGM was the focus on the National Nutrition Strategy (2026–2035). This discussion was perfectly timed with the National Stakeholder Validation workshop organized by the Ministry of Health on April 6, 2026. That virtual session aimed to finalize the 10-year strategy with key stakeholders to ensure quality, coherence, and national ownership across the four nutrition systems.

At the AGM, Dr. Khamphouvanh, Director General of the National Centre for Nutrition, presented both the 10-year strategy and the 5-year national action plan (2026–2030) to ensure SUN CSA members are fully prepared for this new phase of implementation.

The morning session included a progress report for 2024–2025 presented by Ms. Phoutthakone. Additionally, UNICEF shared findings from the LSIS III Report, providing the evidence base needed for the network’s future interventions.

The AGM concluded with a call to action from the Co-Chairs, including Dr. Southisouk Inthavilay and Ms. Kelly Khamphousay, urging all 79 members to continue their dedicated coordination toward a healthier future for all in Lao PDR.

In the afternoon, the SUN CSA 2026 Activity Plan was developed through an interactive “whiteboard” session, where the 50 attendees contributed directly to the network’s priorities. The plan is built around four core functions:

Capacity Building & Knowledge Management: Focusing on technical skills, research, and improved access to nutrition data.
Partnerships: Expanding collaboration with the private sector, universities, and research institutes, and increasing CSO access to finance
Policy Dialogue & Nutrition Practice: Contributing member expertise to policy formation and practical implementation.
Governance & Management: Ensuring a strong and engaged leadership structure.

The network’s governance is managed by a Member Committee (MC), which consists of 10 elected members: 5 from CSOs and 5 from INGOs. During the meeting, it was announced that one MC seat for an INGO representative is currently available. The network is actively seeking a motivated representative from its international member organizations to fill this vacancy.